January 05, 2010

Coconut, Redux

No matter how much you want to pretend it's not happening, there's no denying it.

Coco's back.(You know, Dina, when Adidas mentioned they wanted to drop some weight, they didn't mean it literally. Sheesh.)

She's back, and according to a wholebunchof articles, she's ready for business. (Or, as one puts it, "ready to break [the] hoodoo". I'd love to see that in HiDef.)

"I'm 100 per cent. I'm ready to play,'' Safina said. "If I play my best, let's see what can happen."

It seems almost impossible that she could be 100% ready to play a mere 2 months after that injury. But hopefully she's given herself enough time to recover, because that? Is not an injury to rush back from. Also, given how shattered she was mentally from the Cincinnati final on, it would be perfectly legitimate to wonder whether or not she's given herself enough time to recover not just physically, but emotionally.

"'After every loss, you get smarter,'' Safina said. ''Unfortunately I couldn't make it last year but I still have a few years ahead of me and I hope I'll get smarter as I get older.''"

Let's hope. There were plenty of lessons to learn last year, from not being over-dependent on your coach, to not eating yourself alive in high-pressure situations, to remembering how to play that all-court game you used to have at your disposal. The jury is still out on whether or not any of those lessons have been learned, or she's just mastered saying the right things.

It is encouraging that she never mentions the ranking or a Slam as her ultimate goal. For some athletes, that's a good motivator. For Dinara, it seems to scare her until she's paralyzed into inaction.

It's all about wait-and-see. In the meantime...

Christ, someone get her a sandwich. Extra mayo. Remember when she used to be chubby??

Comments

No matter how much you want to pretend it's not happening, there's no denying it.

Coco's back.(You know, Dina, when Adidas mentioned they wanted to drop some weight, they didn't mean it literally. Sheesh.)

She's back, and according to a wholebunchof articles, she's ready for business. (Or, as one puts it, "ready to break [the] hoodoo". I'd love to see that in HiDef.)

"I'm 100 per cent. I'm ready to play,'' Safina said. "If I play my best, let's see what can happen."

It seems almost impossible that she could be 100% ready to play a mere 2 months after that injury. But hopefully she's given herself enough time to recover, because that? Is not an injury to rush back from. Also, given how shattered she was mentally from the Cincinnati final on, it would be perfectly legitimate to wonder whether or not she's given herself enough time to recover not just physically, but emotionally.

"'After every loss, you get smarter,'' Safina said. ''Unfortunately I couldn't make it last year but I still have a few years ahead of me and I hope I'll get smarter as I get older.''"

Let's hope. There were plenty of lessons to learn last year, from not being over-dependent on your coach, to not eating yourself alive in high-pressure situations, to remembering how to play that all-court game you used to have at your disposal. The jury is still out on whether or not any of those lessons have been learned, or she's just mastered saying the right things.

It is encouraging that she never mentions the ranking or a Slam as her ultimate goal. For some athletes, that's a good motivator. For Dinara, it seems to scare her until she's paralyzed into inaction.

It's all about wait-and-see. In the meantime...

Christ, someone get her a sandwich. Extra mayo. Remember when she used to be chubby??